Published : 09 Oct 2026, 10:40 PM
Updated : 09 Oct 2026, 10:40 PM
Hurricane Simon is rapidly intensifying off Mexico’s Pacific coast, packing sustained winds of 100 mph (155kph) as it moves towards a stretch of coastline dotted with beach resorts and fishing towns, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Friday.
Simon, currently a Category 1 hurricane, is forecast to strengthen into a dangerous Category 4 storm by Saturday as it approaches Mexico’s southwestern and west-central Pacific coast, one of the country’s most popular tourist regions, the NHC said.
The storm is expected to make landfall on Sunday between Manzanillo, Mexico’s largest port and main gateway for trade with Asia, and Puerto Vallarta, a popular beach destination with nearly 300,000 residents.
A hurricane warning is in effect from Punta San Telmo in Michoacan to Punta Mita in Nayarit, while authorities have expanded alerts in surrounding areas as Simon intensifies.
The Mexican Navy has activated emergency response personnel in Colima and restricted maritime traffic along parts of the Pacific coast, closing ports to smaller vessels and barring larger vessels from operating in Michoacan.
“Rapid intensification is expected to continue, and Simon is expected to be a very dangerous major hurricane when it approaches the coast of Mexico,” the Miami-based NHC said.
Simon was about 210 miles (335km) south of Manzanillo on Friday morning and moving northwest, according to the centre.
Risks and Precautions
Mexican authorities have urged residents to remain indoors as the storm approaches. Laura Velazquez, the national coordinator of civil protection, said Simon was expected to reach the coast as a major Category 3 or 4 hurricane.
Forecasters warned of life-threatening flooding and mudslides, with isolated rainfall totals potentially reaching 25 inches (64cm) in parts of Michoacan, Colima, Jalisco and Nayarit.
Authorities also warned of heavy rain in Guerrero and Oaxaca and urged residents across the affected states to remain alert.
In Jalisco, residents of El Rebalse in the municipality of Cihuatlan have been evacuated as a precaution. Seventy people left on their own, while another 10 moved to a temporary shelter.
Civil protection officials urged people along the Pacific coast to watch for small cracks, leaning trees or fences, and water seepage, signs that could indicate an increased risk of landslides.
Classes have been suspended on Friday and Monday in schools across 22 municipalities in Jalisco in anticipation of heavy rain, Governor Pablo Lemus said on X.
Last week, Hurricane Polo made landfall on the Baja California Peninsula as a Category 2 storm, toppling trees and utility poles, flooding streets and causing other property damage.
Private forecaster AccuWeather expects Simon to make landfall on Mexico’s southwestern coast early on Sunday, potentially affecting coastal areas of Jalisco and Colima.
